Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

BASS, Ralph

(b 1 May '11, NYC) Producer. R&B pioneer, described by Peter Guralnick as a 'flamboyant, white jive-talking hepcat'. Played violin in high school; became interested in jazz, moved to LA, became disc jockey; joined Black and White Records '44, prod. T-Bone Walker, Lena Horne; first big hit was Jack McVea's 'Open The Door, Richard' (see McVea entry for that story). Went on to prod. Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Erroll Garner, others. Became West Coast A&R man for Savoy, prod. three of top ten biggest R&B hits '50 with Johnny Otis, Little Esther, Mel Walker. Took his Federal label to join King '51, recorded the Dominoes ('Sixty-Minute Man'), Hank Ballard and the Midnighters ('Work With Me Annie'); helped the Platters, lost them; discovered James Brown. Moved to Chess '60, worked on hits by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Ramsey Lewis, Etta James, Sonny Boy Williamson, indeed the whole roster. Long quotes in valuable Honkers And Shouters: The Golden Years of Rhythm & Blues '78 by Arnold Shaw.